Tears of a Phoenix
by Asaya
Summary: We did not choose to live, but we refuse to die.
1. Prologue

**Author's Notes:** I'm just using elements of RO as a basis for a fantasy story even readers without any RO knowledge should be able to understand, as I'm more used to writing original fiction, anyway. I'll be happy to get any kind of feedback. (Uh, safe flames, of course. You know, I can't stand the heat.)  
  
**Disclaimer:** I'm only going to say this stuff once, as you should be familiar with it. The MMORPG Ragnarok Online is copyrighted by Gravity and Lee Myoung-Jin. All character names used in this story belong to their respective players. Plot and character personalities are all mine. I don't know why you would want to steal anything, but if you do, I'll track you down and break your neck. ^__^  
  


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Her feet were beginning to hurt, her breath was only coming out in short gasps. Even though her eyes were burning, she fought desperately with herself not to cry. It was too late to cry!  
  
  
_"They have been camping around the city, so I'm afraid it will be hard to get through all by myself. If I can't arrive there on time, don't wait for me. Please go home before it gets dark."_  
  
  
She knew she should have listened to those words, but when was the last time her older sister had visited her? Half a year ago? Was it really so wrong to be waiting even after it was already dark? Was it so wrong to be looking forward to finally meeting her sister after all that time? How could anyone expect her to go home, to feel safe and sheltered, when her sister was probably fighting for her life just to meet her?  
  
  
_"They're coming, sis. The capital isn't safe anymore."_  
  
  
The footsteps behind her were the living proof of the truth in that statement. She could not see or hear how many were after her, and she could only guess what would happen if they caught her. Her heart was pounding so loudly she believed it was about to burst.  
  
Where was she? Where was the church? She was frantically trying to find the way in the darkness while the raindrops were falling mercilessly on her. Was it the rain that was making her cheeks wet, or was she actually crying? Why was nobody helping? There was not a single soul on the streets - only her and the creatures that were following her.  
  
  
_"To know your limits is to be strong. You don't have to prove anything to anyone! Run away... run away if you're scared. I will come and protect you always."_  
  
  
If only she could believe in that... if only...!  
  
She could not feel her legs anymore, her mind was going blank, and only the sound of their footsteps was vibrating in her head. Oh God, were they really that close already? She heard voices, but she felt so cold and numb that she did not understand any of the words. They were shouting, and she suddenly realized that the footsteps were getting louder, unbearably loud... closer and closer...  
  
  
_"Never forget that I'll always be with you - in mind and heart."_  
  
  
When her legs were finally giving away, when she was falling to the ground and lay there motionlessly, she did not find the strength to even scream when they found her. It had been inevitable and she knew it.  
  
  
_"It's alright to be afraid. It's alright to cry."_  
  
  
Silent tears were rolling down her cheeks, and she was grateful for its salty taste, to feel that she would not die without knowing she had really lived. And she welcomed the blade that was coming down on her. Would they make it quick? Would they grant her that last wish?  
  
For a brief moment, she could see her attackers, her eyes widened in shock and surprise, but she would never be able to tell anybody who it was.  
  
Yes, it had been inevitable.  
  
  
_"I love you, little sister."_  
  
  
Those final words of the letter remained deeply engraved in her heart until the moment she took her very last breath. Her sister would avenge her. That was her last hope, and her only belief.  
  
And strangely, when her corpse was found on the streets of Prontera the next morning, a soft, painful smile was still on her face.  



	2. First Chapter: The Newcomer

"And I'm telling you, it was _wrong _to let her in!"  
  
"Come on, you're overreacting, Eugene!"  
  
The two young men glared at each other, catching their breath, both determined not to give in. Eugene was the first to break the uncomfortable silence.  
  
"I'm still the leader, Vergil, remember that," he said in a dangerously low voice. "This is _my _guild, and I do _not _want that bitch here!"  
  
Vergil, as he was called, clenched his fists, his face clearly showing his growing anger. It was unusual for him to be mad at someone – but this… this was too much! His dark blue eyes were full of sorrow, a strange contrast to his usually rather boyish features and his messy, spiky black hair. He was breathing hard, frantically trying to find the right words.  
  
"She just lost her sister yesterday," he muttered. His fists were shaking as he continued, "We were supposed to protect that girl!"  
  
"Are you saying I should let her join because her sister was killed? Since when were we called 'Defenders of Pity'?" Eugene spat.  
  
The other boy shook his head, annoyed at his friend's sarcasm. "You know what I mean, Eugene. Asaya was her last living relative. She could use a few friends."  
  
"Friends my ass!"  
  
Vergil just looked at him, completely speechless. Even though Eugene seemed to regret his words, both chose to remain silent. They never had an argument before, both being proud fighters and best friends who had helped each other to find their place in a world that only allowed the strongest to survive. There was a bitter truth to that all of them had to face after the corpse of their youngest and most innocent member had been found the morning before.  
  
Why was Eugene trying so hard to ignore the pain he was feeling himself? Just why was he trying to put all the blame on the older sister that had arrived too late? Vergil tried to ask what was lying heavily on his heart, but he did not find the strength to open his mouth, the strength to voice what was eating him inside.  
  
"Just to make something clear: I'm here to avenge my sister. I don't need your pity."  
  
Both Vergil and Eugene turned their heads at the sound of the harsh female voice. A woman with short, striking red hair had entered the small meeting room of the guild house, a cold smile on her face that did not reach her eyes. Those eyes, reddish pools full of rage and pain, were the only indication for the emotions she was successfully preventing from breaking out. She was tall and slender, having an air of confidence around her, and stood at the door, unmoving, as Vergil and Eugene stared at her, both unable to say anything.  
  
"How much have you heard of our conversation?" Eugene finally managed to ask.  
  
"Enough," was the simple answer. Her voice was deadly calm when she added, "All I want is revenge. My apologies if I acted rude towards you yesterday, Eugene, but I don't care what you think about me. And I won't take back what I said." She took a deep breath. "I will, however, leave your guild at once."  
  
With that, she suddenly turned around and walked out, leaving no time for any of the two young assassins to respond.  
  
"It was her fault for calling me a coward," Eugene mumbled eventually after his friend had thrown an angry look at him.  
  
"But she's right!" Vergil exploded. "All we did – all _you_ did – was sitting here in safety while Asaya was getting killed on the streets! We took her in to protect her! Wasn't that what we had promised Kayis two years ago?"  
  
"That doesn't give her the right to blame me for her sister's death!" Eugene countered, getting desperate. "Asaya left us all on her own, and…"  
  
"That's not an excuse!" Vergil shouted and hit the wall with his fist. "I'm going after her – go ahead if you want to throw me out, I don't care anymore!"  
  
He stormed out, leaving Eugene once again at a loss for words.  
  
  
  
  
  
It was getting dark and very cold, but the only coldness she really felt was the one that was enveloping her heart. She looked into the clear water of the fountain and saw the hard features of a woman who seemed older and stronger than she actually was. Her red hair was messy, she noticed, but after years of living on the streets she had learned to not care about such things anymore. Was this cold face really hers? Was this part of all the training, the desperate fights for survival she had been going through all her life? Did anyone know how easy this glass mask was to break?  
  
Kayis threw a stone into the water, destroying the her face's reflection. She was already breaking.  
  
"Hey…"  
  
Surprised that she had not heard the footsteps, she saw into the boyish face of one of the few people whom she actually called a friend. The young woman managed to smile, but again, it could not hide the pain in her eyes.  
  
"Kayis… He didn't mean it."  
  
"I know."  
  
Vergil sat down beside her on the edge of the fountain. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, but Kayis saw that the sadness of his eyes was the same as hers.  
  
After a moment of sitting in silence, she finally spoke up again, "It's not Eugene's fault, and I want you to know that I'm not blaming him for my sister's death at all. I was calling him a coward because that moron can't even face his own pain – and his responsibility. A member of his guild died… and he acts like nothing happened."  


  
She was staring at the ground.  


  
"You know very well that I've never been good with people. That's what years of being alone on the streets do to you. I only had my sister, and I never learned to get along with anyone but her. I… should have been here when she needed me the most."  
  
Kayis smiled again, a sad smile, and stood up so he could only see her back – and not the tears that was forcing their way out of her eyes.  
  
"She talked… a lot about you when she was with us", Vergil responded carefully. "I think she thought of you as the perfect sister. You did everything possible to take care of her, to ensure her safety… Please… don't blame yourself."  
  
"I can't help it." Those words were spoken very quietly – so unusual coming from her…  
  
This was the kind of situation he never knew what to do in. He had always thought of Kayis as a strong, if a bit cold young woman who had gone through numerous hardships, and yet… she was silently crying at this very moment. Vergil was well aware of that, even though the red-haired girl was quite good at hiding her emotions. She had always been. He was one of the few who actually knew how much she was really hurting inside.  
  
"Believe me," he muttered, "if I had known she was supposed to meet you, I would have never let her go alone… And neither would Eugene – or any of the others."  
  
Kayis turned around, looking directly into his sorrowful eyes. Slowly, she said, "I do know she left week ago without telling any of you where she was going. And I also know she had written in her note that she needed time to be alone. I talked to the clerics in the church today. They were the last to see her the day before yesterday. None of you were at fault, and I know that."  
  
Vergil looked up in genuine surprise. How did she find out so fast?  
  
Her voice got quiet again as she continued, "I think she had asked the clerics for some help in her training. Asaya had always thought she was weak, that she was a burden to me. I brought her to the church to give her the possibility of living a safe life as an acolyte, but she never stopped trying to prove that she could be strong as well… And all that time, she never understood that she, just by being herself, was already strong – and that she was _my_ real strength as well. I could keep going on because of her."  
  
"Did you…"  
  
He was unable to finish the sentence, but she already knew what he was going to say.  
  
"They did let me see her corpse. She… had a quick death, at least." Kayis looked into the distance, trying hard to control the emotions that were taking over her. "It wasn't a pretty sight, but now I know how she died, and where I'm going to look for the murderers. And I swear – I won't stop until I have tracked every single of them down and cut them into a thousand pieces!"  
  
It was not the first time Vergil saw the determination and hatred flaming up in Kayis' eyes, but each time, it amazed and scared him anew. This was the Kayis that was able to kill without blinking even once, this was the dangerous, bloodthirsty thief that was only able to survive on the streets by being heartless and cruel ever since she was small…  
  
And Vergil knew that despite blaming herself, despite being in pain, she would not hesitate to kill anything – _anyone_ – standing in her way in order to find the ones who were responsible for her innocent sister's death.  
  
"Kayis, you sound like you're leaving immediately," were the only words he came up with.  
  
He heard her sigh.  
  
"I have to," she replied, "Eugene is not going to help me, nor did I expect him to. I don't have any place to call home, Vergil. All that is left for me is to get my revenge."  
"Will you at least tell me where you are going? I mean… An attractive woman like you should not go alone on such a dangerous trip," he attempted to joke.  
  
The thief laughed, though it sounded a bit forced. "I'm sorry, Vergil, but tomboys like me will never fall for your sweet words. Your guild needs you more than I do."  
  
He stood up, trying to find the right words to hold her back, but knowing very well that such words did not exist. All he could do was to watch her going away and to realize how cruel this world was for always taking away the most precious things in life.  


It was Kayis' sister who had been killed the night before, but Vergil knew that he, too, would never be the same again.  
  
  
  
  
  
Bright stars were decorating the sky, and most people had already locked their doors. The lights were out – it was probably just before midnight. As busy and bright Prontera was during the day, as wide the streets and as pretty the buildings were, they knew none of them would be safe anymore once the darkness had opened its wings.  
  
But Vergil, just like any other trained assassin, welcomed the darkness. Slowly, he walked through the empty streets back to his guild, leaving the lonely fountain behind. He knew he did not have to fear any attacks, for he had mastered numerous skills the Association of Assassins had taught him. Warriors like him were not meant to kill people – they were skilled fighters whose main job was to get rid of the nasty creatures roaming all over the continent. And just like many other assassins, Vergil had been born into a poor family in the desert town Morroc, having no other choice than to sneak into well guarded places and to steal just enough to stay alive. The Association of Assassins was there to support skilled thieves like he had been, and in return, the members took on missions assigned by the Association.  
  
Thinking of his own past, Vergil could understand perfectly well what Kayis had been through, and he finally seemed to realize why she had always refused to join the Association – she wanted to stay independent, to only think of her little sister, to give everything she had to her…  
  
From what Kayis had told him, she had never known her parents, having been an orphan as long as she could remember. She had somehow managed to keep herself and her newborn sister alive when she was only five years old, stealing here and there and teaching herself how to fight with the simple knife she possessed. It was a miracle in itself. Until she met Vergil two years ago, she had known no other friends but her sister whose life she had trusted the clerics of Prontera Church with, knowing very well she would only put Asaya in danger if they stayed together.  
  
For a long time, Vergil had wondered where Kayis' amazing strength came from, where she always found the will to keep going, to steal and to live a rough life on the streets… They only met occasionally when Kayis was visiting her sister in Prontera, and it had been Vergil's suggestion to invite Asaya into his guild. All those years, he had never realized it was that innocent little acolyte that Kayis was living and giving all her strength for, it was her sister that the thief fought and survived on the streets for the whole time.  
  
Vergil was so lost in his thoughts that he did not notice he was already standing in front of the guild's entrance – until a girl suddenly opened the door, her face brightening up when she saw him. He was startled, but his face soon relaxed when he realized who it was.  
  
"Melt! You guys are back!" the young assassin exclaimed, completely ignoring the angry looks Eugene was shooting at him from behind the girl.  
  
"Where have you been, Vergil?" she asked, her voice as clear as a bell.  
  
Vergil was relieved to see that his three guildmates were finally back from their daily mission in the culverts, for he did not know how to treat Eugene after the fight they had in the afternoon. Especially Melt, the only wizard in their guild, was a born diplomat, whereas Deathstrike and Blademaster – whose real names he did not even know – always sided with their elder brother Eugene.  
  
"I just said goodbye to Kayis," he explained after a short moment of silence, "she is going to look for Asaya's murderers."  
  
"Thought so," Blademaster, the youngest of the boys, muttered, "that's one tough woman."  
  
"And what role do _we_ play in it?" Deathstrike wanted to know, always eager to fight. "Don't tell me you left that chick alone? I mean, she kicks ass and all, but still…"  
  
Vergil, who actually enjoyed fighting just as much as the three brothers, found himself unable to forget the deep sadness in Kayis' eyes, and once again regretted not having followed her – even though she would have refused his help. He looked to Eugene, very well realizing Kayis would have never left so quickly if it was not for his guild leader's words.  
  
"Eugene was the one who made her leave in the first place," he finally muttered, voicing his thoughts and mentally preparing himself for the unevitable confrontation.  
  
"That's because she was bitching at me!" Eugene snorted.  
  
"She was being _honest_!" Vergil gave back.  
  
"I smell another quarrel," Blademaster commented. "And a stupid one at that."  
  
"I agree," Melt nodded, her long, blonde hair falling in waves over her shoulders as she moved closer to the two angry assassins, "you are both being childish for having an argument at a time like this! I, for one, think we should just all go after her and save the discussion for later. Kayis can be quite dangerous and also very careless when she's mad. She cannot be too far yet, so we might be able to prevent the worst from happening."  
  
Even though Vergil and Eugene were still glaring daggers at each other, they both knew the young girl was right, and neither of them dared to talk back to her.  
  
"Sometimes, I wonder why you even put up with us, Melt," Vergil murmured eventually, "you could have joined one of those big, popular guilds, being the wealthy and talented girl you are." He winked at her. "Then again, I know you can't live without me."  
  
Melt just laughed while Eugene had such a funny look on his face that his brothers could not help but grin as well.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You alright?"  
  
"I'm fine, Vergil, this is just a simple glowing spell, so I'll be able to hold it for a very long time," Melt assured her friend.  
  
They had just left Prontera through the north gate and were now walking on a lonely, wide road, all the time relying on the light Melt had cast on her staff since it was too dark to see anything – even for assassins.  
  
"Why are you so convinced she took the north gate?" Blademaster asked impatiently.  
  
"I'm pretty sure she is going to Mount Mjolnir," was Vergil's reply. "It's just a feeling, though."  
  
"A _feeling_?" Deathstrike scratched his head. "I hope you don't rely on your _feelings_ when we get attacked around here, buddy… or you'll be meat."  
  
Eugene grinned and Vergil shrugged, then did the same.  
  
Melt smiled slightly when she turned her head and saw the boys walking next to each other peacefully, despite their goal being a dangerous one. She knew it would remain unspoken between the two assassins, but they had been through too many things together to forget they were a team, and, most importantly, friends. And as much as Melt liked to tease them about their sometimes rather childish behaviour, she knew they were all reliable.  
  
The five continued to walk in silence, always looking around to make sure there were no nasty creatures waiting for them behind the bushes. It was a quiet night, time passed slowly without any incidents, but worries were clouding their minds, even though each of them had their own ways of handling them.  
  
The news of Asaya's death had hit Melt very hard, and though she had prefered to stay with her guild and to perhaps meet Kayis, Eugene had insisted on her accompanying his brothers on their mission in the culverts – just to make them forget about the recent events, she guessed.  
  
_But we will never forget_, Melt thought, for they all felt guilty for not being able to protect the acolyte.  
  
Asaya had been one of the first to befriend her ever since her arrival in Prontera. It had helped Melt to push away the memories of her hometown, as there were too events she did not want to think back to. And Asaya had understood her, even though the wizard had never actually told her friend the whole truth. Now that it was too late, she wished she had.  
  
She wondered if anyone knew about her pain.  
  
"Melt! Hey, you're going the wrong way!" Eugene called out to her.  
  
There were three roads ahead, and Melt had been just about to take the one on the left which led to her hometown Geffen. Was it a coincidence – or just the one place in her past she was unable to forget?  
  
Melt blinked, a bit startled, and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I was lost in thoughts."  
  
The boys turned around to look at her and shortly nodded at the young wizard to show that they understood – and that, maybe, they had similar feelings.  
  
Eugene grumbled, "Just don't do that when we-"  
  
"_Behind_ you!" Melt screamt suddenly. Her light was glowing stronger, reacting to her fear.  
  
Eugene, who was the furthest away from Melt, unconsciously knew he was the one being in immediate danger since the attacker – he could not see anything clearly – was coming from the path they were supposed to take, the path _he_ was the closest at. The attack came as a surprise, too quickly for the assassins to react, for they were used to being the ones to sneak up on the enemy – not the other way around. Eugene did not even have time to turn around to see who was attacking him in the first place.  
  
In fact, none of them really registered what was going on until they heard the sound of something being sliced up, followed by a bloody arm – was it an arm? – falling onto the ground directly in front of Eugene. Since the moment of Melt's warning scream, no more than two or three seconds could have passed. It happened all too quickly.  
  
They could all only stare into the direction the sound was coming from. Judging from what they could hear, the creature was being pulled back, and its screams, reminding them of a pained animal, were a clear indication for the nearing victory of the stranger who had saved Eugene.  
  
However, there was no time for the group to celebrate – the sudden sound of numerous footsteps made them realize immediately that the creature had not come alone.  
  
"It would have been too good to be true," Eugene muttered under his breath as he took on the first of the monsters with his katars.  
  
His eyes were used to the darkness, and with the soft light Melt's staff was providing, he could make out forms that reminded him of a spider – there were four arms and four legs – but also of a human being… and Eugene saw, as he quickly counted, about seven of them, one of which the human looking stranger was fighting with, though the person was too far away for him to recognize. Those were creatures he had never faced before, and for a moment, he was worried about whether they could win this fight.  
  
Sweatdrops were forming on his forehead just when he barely managed to dodge an attack. But Eugene would not be taken by surprise anymore. This time, he was prepared! His face was contorted in anger.  
  
The other three assassins did not hesitate for even a second to join in the fight as well, being young men who battled with passion, while Melt remained on her spot and did _her_ part: magic.  
  
She remembered the fear she had felt the first time she had to cast a spell on a monster that was clearly out to kill her – but at the same time, she remembered the way her friends were standing protectively in front of her and how they took care of the attacker until she had finished her casting.  
Slowly, she moved her hands up, her staff floating in the air between her arms, still giving off the gentle light that now became stronger and stronger. A flaming red aura surrounded her, accompanied by mystic words whispered in a language that seemed older than the world of Rune-Midgard itself. She had taken those words with her when she left the academy and her hometown, and even though the memories still pained her every time she cast a spell, Melt thankfully felt the power of her magic flowing through her veins – so strongly that she instantly knew it was now time to set her spell free.  
  
In a sudden movement, she opened her arms widely, the staff floating even higher while her aura seemed to explode. For a second, a strong light was blinding their eyes, then heavy, deadly bolts of fire crashed down on one of the dark creatures that was giving Blademaster trouble.  
  
At the same time, Eugene, Vergil and Deathstrike had managed to strike down each of the remaining monsters with the help of the mysterious stranger – who was, however, neither mysterious nor a stranger anymore. After they had, in the heat of the battle, momentarily ignored the person who had saved Eugene from the fatal attack, it was now clear it had been no one but Kayis herself who had come to their rescue.  
  
"I should've known it was you," Eugene groaned, faking annoyance, "now I owe you and I don't like it one bit."  
  
"Don't talk rubbish." The female thief glared at him. "You guys were not supposed to be here! I was going to lure them away from Prontera, but just as I was trying to get to the eastern road, they obviously spotted you, probably thinking you had more on the bones than I have." To everyone's surprise, she grinned. "Which is true."  
  
"Are you saying I'm fat?" Eugene raised his eyebrows, but the look in his eyes told Kayis he was really just kidding, and they both relaxed. Then the young guild leader added weakly, "We were actually here to save _you_."  
  
"Let's just pretend we did, seeing as I don't believe she could have taken on all of them by herself," Melt smiled and took a look at the dead creatures lying on the ground. "Now, what kind of things are _these_? I don't think I've seen them before."  
  
Vergil got down on his knees and reached out for one of the ugly beings, the one Kayis had cut the arm of. The skin looked very thick and dark, and even though it did not look like a human being, the form of the head, the arms – there were three of them left – and the four thin legs reminded him more of a human than of an animal. Its body was rather round and very big, having obvious traits of a spider. It was ugly and creepy at the same time.  


But apparently, it was also not quite as dead as they had thought, and as soon as Vergil moved closer, it grabbed the startled assassin's arms with its remaining hands. Its grip was surprisingly firm, and it would probably have successfully ripped off Vergil's arms if Deathstrike, who was standing right beside his friend, had not been faster to react, ramming the blades of his katars into the already heavily injured body of the monstrous being.  
  
"Death… upon you all!" it suddenly hissed, then finally loosened its grip on Vergil and lay still.  
  
The realization that the creature had finally died for real was not nearly as big as the shock of actually hearing the primitive being _speak_. It was not quite a human sound, having a very strange accent that would have been impossible to imitate, but the words were indeed those of human language. They stared blankly at the corpse, not knowing exactly if their feelings were those of utter amazement, fear – or pure horror.  
  
"Impossible…!" Melt was the first to find her voice back. "Monsters cannot talk!"  
  
Kayis had remained silent the whole time, but she could clearly hear Melt's voice tremble. She sighed. This was going to be hard on all of them.  
  
"Dangerous times have come," the thief began quietly, "more dangerous than ever before, and these" – she pointed at the corpses – "are just the beginning. They are camping everywhere around the towns now, on every road, every path, waiting for the right moment to slaughter the innocent. You're wrong in thinking they're as primitive as the creatures you have faced so far. I would never dare to take on a group of them all by myself, and if they had caught up to me when I was alone just a while ago, you would have seen my corpse instead of theirs. Especially their group leaders are not to be underestimated."  
  
"Group leaders? You mean like the one that almost ripped my arms off?" Vergil asked. He looked puzzled. "Why do you know so much about them?"  
  
"I'm wondering, too," Melt cut in, "you seem to be familiar with those creatures. And you weren't surprised at all when that thing talked. Just what are they…?"  
  
Kayis looked into the face of each of the five young warriors who were staring at her. "I'm sorry, but you shouldn't get involved in this. Take my words as a warning. I have wasted enough time here, it's time for me to go."  
  
The thief was already turning around.  
  
"Don't you dare to run away now!" Eugene shouted all of sudden, his face reflecting anger and something Kayis could not quite recognize when she turned around again to look at him.  


She saw him taking a step forward in her direction, his voice firm and serious as he spoke, "Whom are you kidding? You think you can do everything by yourself and shut everyone else out. Weren't your words against me this morning just an excuse to go off on your own? Wasn't it more like your way of saying goodbye to us? You never expected me to actually help you. Do you think I didn't know that?"  


Her eyes widened, but he did not give her time to cut in.  


"Don't deny it, Kayis! I'm now offering you my guild's help – take it as a payback for saving me if you want, but if anything, _you_ will be the coward here if you leave again."  
  
His guildmates were completely dumbfounded at Eugene's unexpected speech. So he had thought about helping Kayis after all!  
  
Vergil could not suppress a grin when he realized that Eugene had apparently hit Kayis' weak point. She was indeed not exactly the social type, and it was not entirely unlikely that she was just protecting herself by taking such a form of escape. No one could tell. It was so hard to look through her.  
  
Well, maybe they would not find out the truth anytime soon, but what counted was the fact that Kayis did not snap at Eugene, but actually took a step towards him, her face giving nothing away.  
  
"You," she said calmly, "are not as dumb as I thought."  
  
"Excuse me?!"  
  
None of them would ever forget Eugene's hilarious facial expression at that moment.  
  
  
  
  
  
The wind was blowing strongly behind the church. It was dawn, the first rays of sunlight were breaking through the clouds. A strange glow seemed to surround the simple, grey tombstone, decorated by a few well chosen, freshly bought white lilies.  
  
Kayis, Vergil, Melt, Eugene, Blademaster and Deathstrike were standing in front of Asaya's grave, praying silently for the kind soul that had left the mortal world.  
  
"Little sister…"  
  
Her eyes were fixed on the stone on which the simple word 'Pure' was engraved. Kayis knew there was no time to mourn, no time for regrets or self-pity. Her sister's murderers were not waiting.  
  
Never would she cry again.  
  
"I will do whatever it takes to avenge you. I promise," she declared with a steady voice.  
  
"So will I," Vergil spoke firmly, "I swear I will find the ones responsible for the murder and give them what they deserve."  
  
The others nodded in agreement, joining in an oath that did not require any more words. And it was not until they were on their way back to the guild house that Eugene chose to break the rather peaceful silence.  
  
"Hey, Kayis," he said, "I hope you realize that you're now one of us, a 'Defender of Midgard'. Be proud of your title, newcomer."  
  
At that, she simply grinned. And this time, it did reach her eyes.


	3. Second Chapter: Closed Gates

Several voices, both male and female, could be heard from behind the closed, wooden door. The girl pressed her right ear on it, frantically trying to understand everything that was being said. This discussion, she knew, was of great importance to her whole family.  
  
There! They were finally speaking a bit louder. She could not hear everything, but the words "moving", "Payon" and "impossible" gave her a good idea of what the conversation was about. Now, an awkward silence was filling the room, the adults inside unable to find a solution that would satisfy them all. Finally, she could hear a sigh, then someone proceeded to walk towards the door.  
  
_…Hey, wait a second…!_  
_  
_It was already too late when the girl realized she had been discovered. As the door was opened, all she could do was to try and look as sweet and innocent as possible – of course, she knew she was pathetic at pretending to be something she was not. _Maybe just as pathetic as my hiding skills._ The thought would have brought a weak grin onto her face if it not for the intimidating appearance of her mother.  
  
The angry tone in the woman's voice, however, was betrayed by the amusement reflected in her eyes. "Eriya, it is not polite to eavesdrop."  
  
"I'm so sorry, mom," came the reply, but Eriya knew all too well her apology did not sound very convincing. "I swear I will never do it again."  
  
_And there goes my attempt at not lying._   
  
Her mother could barely hide a smile as if she could read what her daughter was thinking. Well, maybe she _could_ – Eriya's face was incredibly easy to read.  
  
"Just come in then," she said eventually, winking at her daughter, "you little troublemaker."  
  
Upon entering the small, but comfortable guest room, the young girl beamed at the three other adults who, just like her mother, seemed more amused than mad. This was the first time in months that Eriya was able to meet her aunt and her uncle, for both were residents of the forest town Payon. It was a faraway place Eriya had never seen before.  
  
But this was not a day like any other – if her family were to move to Payon as well, it would definitely bring a change to her life… for the better or for the worse, she was not able to tell. Yet, Eriya was undoubtly eager to see more of Rune-Midgard. One could assume she would get around more after having joined a guild roughly half a year ago, but Morroc and Prontera were still the only towns Eriya knew.  
  
"You look excited already," her uncle laughed, "it hasn't even been decided yet, sweetie."  
  
"Even though I've told your parents there's nothing to hesitate about," her aunt added.  
  
The look on her parents' faces was now clearly an uncomfortable one.  
  
Well, Eriya was probably a bit thoughtless and overly happy-go-lucky sometimes, but she was certainly _not_ stupid.  
  
Payon was known as a very peaceful town, and from what she had heard, it was also one full of happiness, music and laughter. Some sort of paradise, so to speak. She had been dreaming of moving there ever since she was little, even though she was very well aware that her parents were too afraid of a change. That was obviously the whole problem.  
  
And in some way, she could understand. For as long as she could remember, they had been living in Morroc. So what if they were poor, so what if there was the smell of death on the streets every day… It was still their home, right?  
  
Maybe it _was_ impossible to get used to an entirely different environment, after all.  
  
At least, that was what she told herself to prepare for a disappointment, and the young girl gulped hard. She knew how strange it seemed for fun-loving Eriya to suddenly get all quiet like this, but it did fit the silence that was spreading out once again in the room.  
  
…That is, until a high-pitched voice yelled, "Eriya! _Eriya_! Please come here _at once_! It's important!" just outside of the house.  
  
"If my sister screams this loud, it's gotta be something important!" Eriya exclaimed, then ran out of the room before any of the adults could react.  
  
All that was left for them to do was to smile weakly.  
  
  
  
  
  
It was no secret that most people living in Morroc were quite poor. Being a desert town, Morroc had very few natural ressources and even less water. Thieves and prostitutes dominated the streets, and the guards did not get paid well enough to really do some work. The market place was the town's only real source of income, always crowded and lively. Traders from all over Rune-Midgard offered their goods here, and the assassins were always ready to take on new missions for cheap prices. In fact, if it had not been for the large number of skilled assassins Morroc was known for, the kind of warriors that could be hired for almost anything, this town would have probably been history long ago.  
  
But now, around noon, it was perfectly normal for the streets of Morroc to be completely empty, since it was too hot and dry to be walking anywhere without getting a serious sunburn. Even the ones who had been living in the desert their whole life prefered to avoid going out at this cursed hour, as none of the foreign traders had the nerves to do business when their heads were about to burst from heat.  
  
Thus, the sight of a young hunter standing outside behind a house, unsuccessfully trying to hide from the sunlight, was indeed quite unusual. He was clearly a stranger to this desert town, looking a bit out of place with his longbow and a set of expensive silver arrows in a quiver behind his back. Apparently, he was waiting for something.  
  
After a while of standing there at the wall as if he had turned to stone, he eventually turned his head to the eastern gate of Morroc where – what was even more unusual at this hour – two slender girls were trying to convince the guard of something in a rather loud voice.  
  
One of them, the one who actually did most of the noise, was unmistakingly hot-tempered Eriya, while the other already looked like she was about to admit defeat. If it had not been for her soft brown hair that she always wore down instead of the ponytail Eriya prefered, a stranger would have never been able to tell the twins apart.  
  
"As I have tried to tell you over and over again, girls, I must not let you out! Do you have a death wish?" the guard was snarling just at this moment. "_They_ have come closer to the town than expected, and I cannot let anyone leave Morroc as of now."  
  
"You've already told us, I'm not deaf," Eriya snapped, "but as _I_ have told you before, _I don't give a damn_!"  
  
"Who are 'they' anyway?" her sister asked carefully. "What could be there to worry you so much? Monsters in Rune-Midgard must be as old as the world itself. We've been living with them for thousands of years." With a slight touch of pride, she added, "Also, Eriya just turned assassin, there's nothing we have to be afraid of!"  
  
The guard gave the two an annoying smirk. "The Association of Assassins goes too easy on you kids. You better stay out of this. Your family can move to Payon or wherever when this is all over. Until then, us guards will not let anyone pass."  
  
"Wanna bet?!" Eriya was already raising her fist.  
  
"Sis, please stop." The other girl knew too well how dangerous it could be to make Eriya angry. "This is really getting nowhere. We'll go back and think of something…"  
  
"This damn guy just thinks he's all important! Dumbass!"  
  
With that, Eriya turned sharply and stomped over to her younger cousin who was already becoming impatient. Sighing, her sister followed, and the three leaned on the wall of a house not far away from the gate, wondering about what to do.  
  
"I didn't want to believe it," Eriya shouted, "heck, I _still_ can't believe it! If I didn't know how much you hate to see blood, Neryd, I would rip his head off and make some holes in it with my daggers!"  
  
"You're creepy," her sister replied, shaking her head and grinning slightly.  
  
"That guard might be right, though, you know." It was the first sentence coming from the young hunter. He pointed to his left fist. "My falcon still hasn't come back."  
  
The twins looked at him in surprise. Ashton's falcon had never been late before. _Never._ It was like a bird forgetting how to fly.  
  
"I had sent a short message to the Defenders," the boy explained, "and you both know my falcon rarely needs more than a day to deliver it. Now it's already been a week…"  
  
Eriya and Neryd both did not know how to respond. So he had been worrying all this time and never told them until now… And even though Eriya did not want to admit it in front of her two best friends and blood relatives, the strange events lately were deeply worrying her, too.  
  
First, there was that sudden visit of her aunt and uncle. They had been trying to convince her family to move ever since they had arrived, something that came as a surprise even to their son Ashton who had not been informed beforehand. Then Neryd came with the news that all gates had been closed for an undefinite time. It was certainly a serious matter, for such drastic precautions would certainly ruin their economy sooner or later. And now Ashton's beloved falcon had mysteriously disappeared.  
  
How did all that link together…?  
  
"I'm not too eager to find out what exactly is wrong," Eriya said aloud, "but no matter if we're moving or not… Ashton and I still belong to the Defenders of Midgard."  
  
"Yeah." The hunter kicked the ground in frustration and whirled up some rough sand. "We were only on vacation here anyway. We have to return to Prontera soon. But I have no idea how to get through the gates without having to knock that guard out."  
  
"We'll do that, then," Eriya grinned.  
  
"That's not funny!" Neryd protested. "Mom and dad will worry themselves to death if you just leave at a time like this!"  
  
"As if I didn't know that," the assassin grumbled.  
  
Ashton was just about to say something when the sudden sound of a loud punch made them turn their heads. As they were not sitting far from the guard they had been talking to, they could clearly see the man falling onto the ground. Seconds later, a young woman stepped into the sun and bent down to examine the unconscious guard.  
  
Apparently, Eriya had not been the only one to think about knocking out the guard. She blinked. "Don't tell me she went through that bloody gate directly from the _outside_ without making any noise and then randomly hit a well-trained guard who didn't even know she was standing behind him…!"  
  
"Don't tell me someone can actually babble so much without even taking a breath!" Ashton replied, rolling his eyes at her. "You're not making sense either. If one opens such a heavy, rusty gate, there's bound to be some kind of sound, don't you think?"  
  
"Maybe she can cast magic," Neryd suggested.  
  
"Then she wouldn't have hit him in the first place," her cousin gave back thoughtfully.  
  
"Maybe she just felt like punching him!" Eriya seemed very pleased with her idea.  
  
Ashton glared at the assassin. "She's not you."  
  
They were all so caught up in their half-joking, half-serious speculations that they did not notice how the very same woman they were talking about was now standing at the corner of the house, barely able to hold back a chuckle.  
  
When the three finally noticed her, they just stared. And the woman stared right back at them calmly. Her large, reddish eyes held something indescribable.  
  
It took Eriya a while before it finally hit her.  
  
"I already thought you looked familiar!" she gasped. "I've only seen you once before, but you totally fit her description of you!"  
  
Neryd had the odd feeling that this woman's appearance did not mean anything good. She looked helplessly to Ashton who was just saying, "I recognize you also now. You must be Kayis."  
  
  
  
  
  
Sometimes, she was surprised at her own actions. Vergil had wanted to go and fetch the remaining guild members, but she had stubbornly insisted on doing it herself. She had even refused to let him accompany her – selfish as it was, for Morroc was _his_ hometown too, after all.  
  
But Kayis knew she was the only person familiar enough with those creatures to travel on her own to Morroc. Besides, there were things she could not tell her new guildmates, and there was no way she could put them into unnecessary danger. There was enough danger to come as it was.  
  
Then, when she had finally arrived in Morroc in the early morning, she had found herself faced with tightly closed gates. And suddenly, childhood memories had come back.  
  
Slowly, but with greatest care, Kayis had climbed up the town wall where the shadows hid her slim form. Using the small holes she had carved in there when she was a child, everything still proved to be a breeze. Long ago, it had been an act of despair, a trick that showed just how vulnerable Morroc really was. While she was climbing, touching the stone she knew so well, Kayis had briefly wondered if it was Morroc or her that was more vulnerable, but such thoughts did not linger on her mind for very long.  
  
The thief had then remained in the thin shadows inside the town until a fuming Eriya and a sighing Neryd had showed up and confronted the guard. Knocking out the poor man had probably not been necessary after that, but she had felt an odd satisfaction to be able to give him the punch Eriya had been denied. Unlike the young assassin, Kayis did not have anyone to reprimand her whenever she did something wrong.  
  
Now was that freedom… or loss…?  
  
Sitting here in the small room the parents of the twins had kindly offered her, Kayis scolded herself for suddenly getting all pensive. But that was no wonder, really.  
  
Those sobs… she could hear them even through the walls. It was unbearable.  
  
Kayis had known what she was getting herself into when she left Prontera last week to personally deliver the news of her sister's death. It was just something she felt she had to do. The two young Defenders had known Asaya well, and even though it was already getting dark now, Eriya was still crying in her room. Ashton had seemed to be in a state of shock, and Kayis felt it was not a very good time to tell him his falcon was dead also.  
  
"Hello? Kayis? Can we please talk for a minute?"  
  
The thief was actually grateful for the knock on the door, interrupting her gloomy thoughts, but she was admittingly surprised. The voice, softer and calmer than her sister's, belonged to none other than Neryd.  
  
"Come in," Kayis replied loud enough for the young visitor to hear.  
  
"Sorry to disturb you," Neryd said politely after closing the door behind her.  
  
But she did not look sorry at all – on the contrary, her face was serious, eyes filled with an unspoken accusation Kayis could not exactly place yet. The girl was suspicious of her, that much she knew, for Neryd was bad at hiding it.  
  
The thief motioned for Neryd to sit, and she did. They remained silent, just staring at each other, until the brunette finally blurted out, "Please go, Kayis! Leave us alone."  
  
It was not difficult for the older woman to realize how much courage it must have taken Neryd to say such a thing, but she decided to ignore that as she shook her head, slowly but firmly.  
  
"You must not take my sister away!" Neryd went on, her voice trembling. "When Eriya followed Ashton into the Defenders' guild, Mom and dad were really sad… I thought I could convince her to stay this time! And now… we're just about to move to Payon, I always wanted us to be a big family again…"  
  
Kayis looked unimpressed. "You obviously have no idea of what's going on. Morroc's gates are closed for a reason, you know."  
  
"We'll just wait for them to open, and then…"  
  
The girl faltered when Kayis put a hand on her shoulder and stared at her with piercing red eyes. "You don't understand. They _won't_ open again."  
  
Confusion and a slight touch of fear spread over Neryd's face.  
  
"Fiends are going to invade this town. Haven't you heard? They've been waiting for their chance to attack, and Morroc's defenses are already crumbling." Kayis' voice was harsh and bitter. "They will not go away before this place is no more."  
  
"Are you insane?" The other girl stood up in a quick movement, making the wooden chair creak in protest. "You're practically saying we are all going to die!"  
  
"I am saying," the thief replied coldly, "that you would die even sooner if the gates were _not_ closed. Stop dreaming about a happy family. There will be none."  
  
"So? Then how and why did you come here? Why do Eriya and Ashton have to leave if it's so dangerous?" Neryd asked quietly.  
  
For a fleeting moment, the expression in Kayis' face softened. "Because some people are still trying to prevent dreams from shattering."  
  
"Oh, you'll go and save the world, huh?" The biting sarcasm, almost contradicting Neryd's soft voice, could not at all hide the pain and hurt evident in her bright blue eyes.  
  
"I have no desire to save _anyone_," Kayis spat, suddenly angry. She jumped off the bed and stepped towards the window. Her back was now turned to the other girl. "We all have our own reasons for risking our lives out there. But Eriya really wants to protect you. And she can only do that if she faces the danger she is not willing to put you through."  
  
"What would _you_ know?" the brunette retorted, getting annoyed herself.  
  
"I know that I would try to protect my sister at any cost if she was still alive."  
  
Realization dawned upon Neryd in an instant and blew away her bitter feelings. God, how could she have forgotten?  
  
"Kayis, I'm sorry," she whispered regretfully.  
  
"Don't worry about it." The ruby-eyed woman closed her eyes, something Neryd did not see. "None of us really expected the situation to be that serious. For the other Defenders, this is now not only about my sister anymore. That's why it's so urgent that Eriya and Ashton return to their guild. And I can tell you that much: We have to leave tomorrow morning."  
  
"That's ridiculous," Neryd breathed. "My parents will never agree. Nor will Ashton's." Her eyes flashed with an unusual determination as she added after a pause, "And nor will I."  
  
The thief did not answer, but slowly walked towards the door. Grabbing the handle, she smiled curtly at Neryd. "I'm afraid you have no say in this, sister complex or not."  
  
"I do _not_ have a sister complex!" the girl spluttered, but Kayis had already left the room, leaving nothing but traces of a quiet laugh.  
  
Neryd stared at the door, dumbfounded, and slowly tried to sort everything out in her mind. Well, if their decision had already been made, then it was now time to make hers. _Sister complex or not._  
  
And suddenly, a smile was playing around her soft lips.  
  
  
  
  
  
The next morning was dry and sunny as always, although heated by half a dozen voices entangled in a heavy argument. Kayis, standing outside near the house door, had already learned to block off the sounds after hours of listening to the very same exchange of shouts and protests over and over again.  
  
She had done her best in convincing the worried parents that she would not lead their children into a certain death. Well, Ashton's parents seemed to understand how grave the situation around the town was when they heard about the newly closed gates – which made them oppose to their son's wish to leave even more. Kayis held the slight suspicion that their awareness of the danger had been the reason for their sudden suggestion for Eriya's family to move to Payon, as the young assassin had told her. But it was undoubtly already too late.  
  
What use was it to argue over this, anyway? If there had still been doubts on Kayis' mind, thinking back to the looks Eriya and Ashton had given her this morning would have instantly washed any hesitation away. The two, young as they were, had looked serious and determined, and Kayis knew that no matter what their parents said, they would still leave today. Fighting over it was pointless.  
  
But of course, the red-haired thief could understand the emotional involvement in this, she could even briefly remember similar arguments back when she had to leave Asaya. For no other reason, Kayis chose to keep quiet and remain waiting.  
  
Then suddenly, a new voice mixed in with the others, ringing clearly through the air, "Mom, dad, you can't stop us from going. We have already made up our minds."  
  
There was a pause, then several voices were shaking up the room all at once, shouting simultaneously what was going through Kayis' head as well. "What do you mean, _we_?!"  
  
Neryd folded her arms. "Like I said, I know they're going to leave, and I'm leaving with them."  
  
"This… this is outrageous!" her mother yelled almost hysterically.  
  
"Who decided that?" her uncle demanded to know.  
  
"Well, me?" the girl responded, smiling weakly and at the same time, avoiding her sister's and her cousin's unbelieving eyes. "I've been training really hard these past months! I'm sure I can help."  
  
Eriya finally found her voice back. "You've gotta be kidding me! And here I thought _I_ was the one of us two that was totally nuts."  
  
"Because you _are_," Ashton muttered under his breath, but Eriya was so busy staring at her sister that she did not notice. Then again, teasing his cousin at a time like this was probably not the best idea, anyway. He continued, louder, "You're only making things more complicated, Neryd."  
  
"If…" His brown-haired cousin took a deep breath. "If it's really so dangerous, don't I have the right to protect my loved ones, too?"  
  
Silence. Even the adults could do nothing but stare at the petite girl.  
  
"You're not even an assassin yet!" Eriya tried, sounding exasperated. "I refuse!"  
  
"You can't keep me sheltered forever!" her twin retorted, though she felt strange for arguing with her sister for the very first time. "Please, sis, accept my decision. Unless you want to tie me up here?"  
  
"Good idea," Ashton said dryly.  
  
It was then that the father of two girls chose to speak up. "I haven't given _any_ of you my consent yet, children. After all, if my sister" – he nodded to Ashton's mother – "is right, then we will be sending you into your death out there, and that is something we just cannot do. You may have joined various fighting organisations, but you are all still too young and inexperienced, and..."  
  
"Dad!" Eriya interrupted him, "Don't start on that again! It's not as if we'll be safe _here_! And it's not like you can make us stay either." She sighed deeply. "We're just asking you not to hate us for this."  
  
At this, her mother suddenly stepped forward and hugged her daughters, catching them by surprise. "My little dummies… how could we ever hate you?"  
  
Again, silence followed, and as the twins looked at each other, they finally understood that their parents knew very well their protests were to no avail. And also, when Eriya caught the sparkle in her sister's blue eyes, she realized that it was the first time Neryd too had made a decision, one that left her with no choice but to accept.  
  
The shouts and cries had now mysteriously turned into quiet sobs, mostly coming from the mothers, and a few heartfelt goodbyes. None of them wanted to think of it as a farewell.  
  
Kayis heard the change in the conversation and silently made her way through the busy marketplace towards the spot near the eastern gate where they had planned to meet later. Really, staying at the house would have made her feel like she was imposing. Or maybe she just wanted to avoid being reminded that she did not have any loved ones to protect anymore, that she had no one to say goodbye to her ever again.  
  
  
  
  
  
"Sorry to have kept you waiting," Neryd apologized earnestly when she finally showed up with her sister and her cousin.  
  
Kayis said nothing, but simply pointed at the high town wall behind her. The grey stone it was built of made it a somewhat intimidating sight. "We're going to climb."  
  
"_Climb_?" Eriya repeated disbelievingly. "Do you know how _hot_ these stones are at this hour? Plus, they're as slippery as an eel!"  
  
"Well, how do you think did I come inside?" the thief gave back, "But whatever. Take these if you can't stand the heat." She threw each of them a pair of brown, tattered gloves. "I'll show you the spots where you can climb."  
  
When the redhead raised her hand to point out the direction, they saw how calloused it was, hideously marked with scars and burns. And for some reason, no more protests came.  
  
As the three followed Kayis, none of them said a word. They showed a bit of surprise when they saw the carvings the older woman had once made in the stone, but climbed up quietly.  
  
It was only when the thief was waiting for the three to get over the wall first that she caught the serious look on their faces, their eyes dark and almost void of any emotion, and realized how hard they were trying to be strong. Kayis knew that well – it was all you could do when leaving someone you loved behind, running into a danger you knew you could not avoid. Masking away all feelings was the only thing that could prevent one from breaking down and running back, giving in to the weak wishes of the heart.  
  
Something fell onto the ground with a thud. It was white and glistened in the sun that was burning mercilessly on them. Picking the small object up, Kayis recognized it as a pearl the merchants sold only rarely on Morroc's market. It was as clear as the sky today and had a faint touch of blue on it. Beautiful…  
  
Looking up, Kayis noticed Neryd's shocked gaze, and gave her a reassuring nod, holding up the pearl in her hand. Relief briefly washed over the girl's face before she resumed her climbing.  
  
Eriya, who was already on the other side of the wall, let out an audible gasp just at this moment. "Whoa, so many…!"  
  
One after another, the remaining three climbed over the wall and joined up with the young assassin, and both Neryd and Ashton gaped at the sight as well.  
  
Kayis, on the other hand, could barely hide her amusement. "What, did you expect them to protect the whole town with just one guard inside at each gate?"  
  
"Yes, well, no, but…" Eriya took a deep, calming breath. "When did they all come here? That's like an _army_! I didn't know we even had one!"  
  
"She has a point," Ashton agreed, eyes as wide as saucers. The open surprise on his young face was unusual for him, his cousins knew, but who could blame the boy?  
  
In front of the eastern gate, numerous troups consisting of at least two dozen soldiers each were patrolling around in the area, and there were a lot of scary looking assassins sitting in the shadows as well. It was striking how most of the soldiers were clothed and armed differently, and not only that – there were also obvious differences in height and skin color, so obvious that the girls and the young hunter could not help but stare.  
  
"Well, Comodo sent some of their troups to help," Kayis explained, "I heard them talk about it yesterday."  
  
"Comodo? Really? The Sleeping Town is helping us? That's so cool!" Eriya exclaimed, sincerely impressed.  
  
"But those guys haven't even noticed us," her cousin objected, "and if we can just climb over the wall like that… and if Kayis can just knock out one of the guards like that… aren't they a bit careless?"  
  
He saw the thief grin almost sheepishly as she recalled the incident the morning before.  
  
"I don't think the monsters are smart enough to do that?" Neryd spoke up doubtfully.  
  
Kayis only shrugged, successfully keeping herself from revealing what she knew she could not. "Who knows. I'm pretty sure the soldiers _have_ seen us, but like you said, they expect the fiends to assault the gate itself. They don't think of humans like us as a threat." Then, suddenly remembering something, the redhead turned to face Neryd. "Here. I believe this is yours."  
  
The blue-eyed girl gratefully took her most valued possession back and said with a small voice, "Our parents gave each of us a pearl on our last birthday. Mine's blue, Eriya's is green." Neryd looked over to her sister who was pointedly staring at the ground. She knew Eriya always kept her pearl with her as well. "You know, Kayis, they must have saved up money for a long time to be able to afford it. And… I just wanted to take something with me that reminded me of them."  
  
Before Kayis could even think of a response, she saw, to her astonishment, how the young girl's eyes were all of sudden swelling up with tears she had been so desperately trying to fight back ever since they had left her house – her home.  
  
They were already running late, but not a single word came from the red-haired thief while she was waiting for her young companions to silently cry the tears she herself was not able to shed anymore.  



End file.
